Hacking Equity: Highlights from the RAND-AUC Hackathon

Transcript

Osonde Osoba, Senior Information Scientist and Hackathon Organizer

The RAND-AUC Hackathon is a hackathon. Surprise. This hackathon consists of teams that are made up of students from the Pardee RAND Graduate School, as well as students from the Atlanta University Center Consortium. We asked our students to tell interesting, useful, insightful, data-driven stories about the trajectory and impact of the COVID pandemic to date.

Sinead Younge, Director of the Institute of Social Justice Inquiry & Praxis

It speaks a lot to the RAND Corporation and Pardee RAND that they’ve collaborated with the Atlanta University Consortium, historically Black colleges, to work with students, again, from all walks of life, but who have a lived experience where they themselves and their families have been impacted.

Maya Griffin, Spelman College

Today, we'll be discussing the relationship between redlined areas and COVID vaccination rates.

Nihar Chhatiawala, PhD Student, Pardee RAND Graduate School

We decided that we want to focus very intently on COVID outcome inequities within our prison systems.

Jalen White, Morehouse College

Go into it with no expectations. Our mentors made it clear to us that getting stuck was all a part of the process.

Maya Griffin

Don't be intimidated by people who know more than you. Learn from them and use that to your advantage.

Jalen White

To my mentors, I want to thank you for everything that you've done to help, and that even though we're also learning together, I hope to be in a position that you are one day to help others in an event such as the RAND Hackathon.

Maya Griffin

My mentor for the hackathon was Jhacova Williams and her energy is everything. It really motivates you to want to be the best at what you're doing.

Osonde Osoba

It would be wonderful if by taking part in this event, we ignite a fire, a love for policy research, in the leaders of tomorrow.

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